Abuja, 03 December 2016- The World Health Organization (WHO) country office in Nigeria has reviewed the progress made and lessons learnt from the health sector response for humanitarian emergency in the northeast states of Nigeria after four months of scaling up operations in the region affected with insurgency. The 2-day review workshop was aimed at making adjustments and instituting corrective measures for the next two months based on lessons learned.

The World Health Organization yesterday joined South Africa’s Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC) in launching the country's Complaints Management Call Centre which will receive and register public complaints relating to non-compliance with prescribed norms and standards for health establishments. 

In recent years there has been increasing attention in South Africa on improving quality of health service and care.  The Call Centre will provide the public a platform to lodge complaints about negative experiences which may include:

Juba, 02 December 2016 – Partners and Experts involved in routine immunization services gathered in Juba for a 4- day working session to review the 2016 Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization (GAVI) work plan and finalize plans for 2017 GAVI grant taking into considerations setbacks of July crisis and determining real and practical situations to get the country back on track in order to achieve the goal of ensuring every child is immunized.

Praia 02 December 2016 - On the 24th of November 2016, Cabo Verde was officially declared free of Poliomyelitis.

Following the declaration made in by the ARCC (Africa Regional Certification Commission for Polio Eradication), the Minister of Health and Social Security of Cabo Verde, Dr. Arlindo do Rosário, organized  a press conference on the 2nd of December  to share this important achievement with the whole nation.

Monrovia 2nd December, 2016 -  Liberia commemorated World AIDs Day on 1st December 2016. This day is set aside by the United Nations General Assembly to reaffirm commitment to the control of HIV/AIDS, express solidarity for those living with HIV/AIDS and remember those who have been lost over the years. The national commemoration was held in Ganta City, Nimba County under the global theme of “Hands up for HIV Prevention” and national slogan “End AIDS in Liberia: leaving No One Behind”.

Abuja, 02 December, 2015: Nigeria has  commemorated the  2015 World AIDS Day with the national theme of “Getting to Zero - ending HIV/AIDS by 2030” which reverberates the global vision of achieving zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDs related deaths by 2030.

National commemoratory events spanned the whole week and included HIV testing and counselling at internally displaced persons (IDP) camps and selected Armed Forces barracks in the Federal Capital Territory, annual HIV lecture; special prayers; a novelty match and a ministerial press briefing.

Abuja, 02 December 2016 - The campaign against the spread of the deadly AIDS virus in Nigeria on 01 December, 2016   received a major boost with the launch of National Guidelines for HIV prevention, treatment and care to fast track plan of action towards achieving the 90-90-90- targets. His Excellency, President Muhammadu launched the document to commemorate the 2016 World AIDS Day commemoration at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.

From 7 to 12 November 2016, the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization in Malawi conducted the inter-country Training of Trainers meeting on Advocacy, Information and Communication and strategic planning for cervical cancer prevention and control. The meeting took place at the Sunbird Capital Hotel in Lilongwe and it was opened on the morning of 7 November by the Honorable Minister of Health, Dr Peter Kumpalume, MP. The participants were from Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ghana and the host country Malawi.

Eritrea also joined the World commemorating World AIDS Day on 1 December 2016 at Orotta Conference Hall in Asmara under the theme “Hands up for HIV Prevention”. The commemoration was officially opened by the Director General of Public Health, Dr Andat Tefatsion, representing the Hon Minister of Health. In his speech, he said that Eritrea must continue to augment its existing programs and further promote effective initiatives and interventions in order to prevent new HIV infections even though it has scored remarkable achievements.

Lusaka, 30 November 2016 – The Vice President of the Republic of Zambia, Her Honour, Mrs Inonge Mutukwa Wina officially launched the inaugural National Health Week in Zambia on 28 November in Lusaka. The function brought together government ministries and departments, United Nations Agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations, Community Based Organizations, research and academic institutions, private sector, academic institutions, the media and the general public.